It’s that time of year when we all look forward to taking a break and spending some time with our friends and families. It’s also an expensive time of year, with gifts being purchased in preparation for Christmas Day. One of the ways to reduce your costs when having a large gathering is to cook foods that are in season.

This month we have a variety of traditional fruit including Apples, Pears, Cranberries and Clementines.

OK, so it’s not Christmas yet, but this dish doesn’t have to only be served with your Christmas dinner, it is perfect with bangers and mash or a Sunday roast. It can be made a few days in advance and reheated.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan, add the leeks, potatoes and onion. Stir well so they are covered in butter. Cook over a low heat for aboutr 15 minutes, until the vegetables are soft, stirring them constantly to stop them becoming brown. Add the vegetable or chicken stock and milk. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer gently for approx. 20 – 30 minutes until all the vegetables are tender. Season to taste. The soup can be served like this or blended if you prefer a smoother texture.read more

Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Butter and line a 30 x 20cm baking or small roasting tin with baking parchment. Put the flour, sugar, spice, bicarbonate of soda, sultanas and salt into a large bowl and stir to combine. Beat the eggs into the melted butter, stir in the orange zest and juice, then mix with the dry ingredients till combined. Stir in the pumpkin. Pour the batter into the tin and bake for 30 mins, or until golden and springy to the touch.read more

With the change in season, comes a new selection of fruit and vegetables. Here we feature the fruit and vegetable that are in their prime during September. This allows you to shop locally and fresh, reducing food miles and putting more money back into your local economy.

Blackberries are delicious at this time of year, and if you are lucky enough you will be able to forage some. There are plenty of walks around Cheshire that will feature a hedgerow brimming with this fantastic soft fruit. Just last weekend I made an apple and blackberry crumble, served with masses of custard. A real old favourite.read more

One of the easiest ways that we can reduce the cost of our food shopping is to eat the produce that is in season. Not only is this good for the wallet but also for the environment. This also has the added advantage that our food travels less miles

Spring is officially, even if the weather is all over the place, and we are starting to see a bit more variety of local fruit and vegetable available. So what should you be eating?

In season and best to eat during the month of May are: Asparagus, Radish, Broccoli, Rocket, Carrots, Samphire, Cauliflower, Spinach, Cucumber, Spring Onions, Lambs Lettuce, Curley Lettuce, Peas and Watercress. Jersey Royal New Potatoes are also fantastic if you can get hold of them. They are always a best seller and never last long on our shelves.read more

For the pancake mixture
110g plain flour, sifted
pinch of salt
2 eggs
200ml of milk mixed with 75ml of water
50g butter

Method: Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Create a well in the middle and add the eggs. Slowly start to whisk, adding the milk and water mixture gradually until a smooth batter.

Cooking
Make sure your pan is nice and hot.
Melt a small amount of butter.
Place a ladle of mixture into the pan, tip the mixture around the pan to create a smooth pancake.
Cook for 1 minute and then flip and cook the other side.
Serve hot with your favourite fillings.
Clean the pan and repeat.read more